Oswego County family of 4-year-old killed by EEE praises Senate report on mosquito-borne viruses

Syracuse, N.Y. -- The family of a 4-year-old Oswego County girl who died last summer of a mosquito-borne virus said today’s state Senate report about combating the insect and its spread of infection was a step in the right direction.

Courtesy of Julie Wilcox Maggie Wilcox, 4, of New Haven

“All of our concerns and outcries were heard,” said Donna Wilcox, of New Haven, whose niece Maggie Wilcox died in August after contracting Eastern equine encephalitis from a mosquito bite. “And Maggie’s death will mean something.”

The 93-page report from two state lawmakers calls on New York to pay a larger share of aerial spraying, start a registry to track horses that contract the virus and put pressure on pharmaceutical companies to develop a vaccine for humans to ward against the rare but deadly EEE.

It stops short of calling for new legislation or specific changes in health policy regarding killing virus-carrying mosquitoes, which have killed three people in Central New York in three years, including Maggie. More details on those proposals should come later this year, according to Sen. Patty Ritchie, R-Oswegatchie, one of the lawmakers behind the report.

That, too, is good news for the Wilcox family, according to Donna Wilcox, who spoke Tuesday on behalf of Maggie’s parents, Julie and David.

“The overall consensus is we are quite pleased with the report and the recommendations that are being made,” she said.

Maggie, of New Haven, died Aug. 14 at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital in Syracuse after being bit sometime in late July or early August, most likely near her home, her family has said.

Today’s report doesn’t examine those actions by county officials, nor does it explore whether spraying is the most effective way to combat mosquitoes.

Rather, it calls on the state to widen its options – from killing larva to using other animals as virus sentinels to working with the other 19 states facing the same viral problems – to better control EEE.

EEE is rare, infecting 5 to 10 people nationwide each year. When contracted, it can lead swiftly to death. There is no cure.

Ritchie represents the area where the Wilcox family lives. She worked with Sen. Kemp Hannon, R-Garden City, on the EEE report. She said she’s learned nothing in the past months that leads her to believe county or state health officials acted wrongly last summer.

“It’s a very sensitive situation,” Ritchie said, adding that there’s no way to know if Maggie’s death could have been prevented. “I certainly can’t say that. It was very unfortunate, very tragic that such a beautiful little girl lost her life.’’

Ritchie, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, said she is making plans to introduce legislation this year that would require the state to pay more of the costs for aerial spraying. Currently, counties and the state split the cost.

Ritchie said she and Hannon, who chairs the Senate Health Committee, are checking whether state agencies can implement the recommended changes without approval from the New York State Legislature.

Their report suggests:

* The state Health Department coordinate with 19 other EEE-invested states to make the development of a human vaccine a priority.

* New York create a voluntary registry of horse owners to collect information in cases of outbreaks. Currently, there is no requirement for horse owners to report a suspicious death. Those who participate in the registry would be eligible for cheaper EEE vaccines for their horses.

* The state step up detection methods, including sharing and comparing other methods and data among the 20 states with EEE-infected mosquitoes.

* Using email, texting and telephones to alert communities that EEE has appeared, and enhance communications with farmers specifically during high-risk times.

* State and county officials should have access to aerial sprayers. Currently, only one private company provides the service.

Central New York health officials have warned that EEE will likely return each year, usually between May and mid-October.

To protect against it, they recommend wearing long sleeves and pants, staying indoors during dawn and dusk hours, draining standing water, making sure screens are secure over windows and using a repellent strong enough to kill mosquitoes, like DEET.

The warmer-than-usual winter is no indication that mosquito populations will be larger this year, according to Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Cynthia Morrow. The weather has been cold enough to kill last year’s populations, she said today.

Donna Wilcox, Maggie’s aunt, said education about individual protection is one of the most important steps.

“We just need people to take this seriously,” she said, “because it is life or death.”